Detect Crawl4AI Docker API Multiple Critical Vulnerabilities (File Write, SSRF, Auth Bypass, XSS, JS Execution) in CrowdStrike LogScale
Detects exploitation of CVE-2026-56266 affecting Crawl4AI <= 0.8.6 Docker API. The vulnerability bundle includes unauthenticated access (CWE-306), path traversal file write (CWE-22), server-side request forgery (CWE-918), stored/reflected XSS (CWE-79), JavaScript injection/execution (CWE-94), and hardcoded credentials (CWE-798). A public PoC is available. Successful exploitation allows full container compromise, internal network pivoting, and arbitrary file write to the host.
MITRE ATT&CK
LogScale Detection Query
#event_simpleName=NetworkConnectIP4 OR #event_simpleName=HttpRequest
| CommandLine = /crawl4ai|crawl4ai/
OR (RemotePort IN [11235, 8080, 8000, 8001] AND
HttpUrl = /\/(?:crawl|execute_js|screenshot|extract|batch)/i)
| eval ThreatType = case(
HttpUrl = /(\.\.\/|%2e%2e|%252e)/i, "PathTraversal",
HttpUrl = /169\.254\.169\.254/, "SSRF-CloudMetadata",
HttpUrl = /file:\/\/|gopher:\/\//i, "SSRF-AltScheme",
HttpUrl = /execute_js/i, "JSCodeExecution",
HttpUrl = /127\.0\.0\.1|localhost/i, "SSRF-Loopback",
HttpUrl = /<script|javascript:|onerror=/i, "XSS-Injection",
true, "SuspiciousAPICall"
)
| where ThreatType != null
| groupBy([aid, RemoteAddressIP4, HttpUrl, ThreatType], function=count(1, as=EventCount))
| where EventCount >= 1
| sort EventCount descCrowdStrike Falcon LogScale (CQL) query detecting network connections or HTTP requests to Crawl4AI API endpoints exhibiting exploitation indicators including path traversal, SSRF, and JS injection.
Data Sources
Required Tables
False Positives & Tuning
- Endpoint agents on systems running Crawl4AI locally for development generating self-directed HTTP requests
- Automated testing suites on developer workstations hitting local Crawl4AI instances
- Security tools performing authorized testing that generate exploit-like URL patterns
- Container-to-container communication in microservice architectures using Crawl4AI as a component
Other platforms for CVE-2026-56266
Testing Methodology
Validate this detection against 4 adversary techniques from Atomic Red Team. Each test below lists the behaviour to exercise and the telemetry you should expect to see. Executable commands and cleanup steps are available with Pro.
- Test 1Crawl4AI Unauthenticated API Access Test
Expected signal: HTTP POST to port 11235 /crawl endpoint with 200 response and no Authorization header in request logs
- Test 2Crawl4AI SSRF via Cloud Metadata Endpoint
Expected signal: Outbound HTTP connection from Crawl4AI container to 169.254.169.254:80; logged in container network flow data and potentially in WAF/proxy logs
- Test 3Crawl4AI Path Traversal File Read via Screenshot Endpoint
Expected signal: HTTP POST to /screenshot or /crawl with file:// URL scheme in request body; response may contain file contents if vulnerable
- Test 4Crawl4AI JavaScript Code Injection via execute_js Endpoint
Expected signal: HTTP POST to /execute_js with js_code parameter containing JavaScript; Crawl4AI process spawning Playwright browser subprocess
Unlock Pro Content
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